


crybabies

by ecomexi



Category: Ensemble Stars, Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Drabble, Fluff, Gen, M/M, thinking abt their childhood...
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-24
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2019-04-07 11:46:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14080221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ecomexi/pseuds/ecomexi
Summary: “It hurts to see onii-chan cry, though,” Makoto explained in a small voice, and wiped his own tears away.





	crybabies

**Author's Note:**

> so about how makoto said izumi cried a lot when he was little. this is short but i just had a tiny idea

Trees whizzed by Izumi’s vision, one after another in an insignificant blur. At times, he was tempted to bring himself to a halt — to stop his feet from pattering one after another, through the woods, deep into the forest — but the thought always faded quickly. Why would he willingly give up this happiness, this carefree feeling?

_huff, huff_

Izumi heard Makoto’s breath heaving, and it was close.  
“Yuu~kun,” he called, his heart fluttering a little. Up straight ahead was a collection of bushes, and he tip-toed over to them, making sure not to step on the brittle and discolored leaves scattering the ground. Abruptly, he closed the ground between them, pushed the bush out of the way, and cheered. “Boo! Found you~,” he giggled.

“Uwah, onii-chan!” Makoto cried in surprise, but soon a wide smile broke across his face. “That feels like a record...~ You’re so good at this, onii-chan!”

Izumi grinned, his pride laid bare. “That’s right!” he insisted. “Your onii-chan is the best after all, right, Yuu-kun?” At this, Makoto nodded so eagerly, so earnestly, and Izumi had to bite back his smile it was so wide. “... But, we shouldn’t be out here anyway,” he continued with a sigh. “That stupid director guy will be mean to us if we get all dirty.”

Makoto looked disappointed; his bottom lip stuck out a little bit. “Ah, we have to go...?”

Izumi practically jumped in alarm at the sight of that expression, and he frantically tried to reassure him. “N-No, no, no! Definitely not, Yuu-kun; let’s play forever, okay?”

Makoto’s small smile returned, as gentle and as lovely as ever. Izumi’s heart swelled with relief and affection seeing it. “You’re so beautiful, you know, Yuu-kun...~” he mused thoughtlessly as he admired. “Never change.”

Makoto brushed the compliment off with a sheepish smile and cheeks dusted with red, and suddenly, without responding, his eyes had turned sly. “You’re it!” he laughed, slapped Izumi on his shoulder, and ran off.

Makoto was far slower than him, but Izumi made an effort to stay just behind. His hand reached out, perhaps just barely grazing the back of his designer jacket, or barely holding back from gaining on him and wrapping him up and never letting him go. Makoto had overcome so many things. He was so strong. But, Izumi knew, in order to become even stronger than that, Makoto must be subjected to things even worse than that of the things already overcome. It was painful — in fact, it was excruciating pain even worse than if it were Izumi himself — but a kind of necessary pain that could be healed, given time.

_Forgive me, Yuu-kun — You’ll thank me when we’re teenagers recalling upon these days like fond memories._

Izumi knew, despite his childish and immature self, that’s what these would end up as in a few years: mere memories. As nightmares, perhaps, knowing what was yet to come. But now, in places — in carefree situations — like these, the reminiscence of those moments would be alike dreams in Izumi’s eyes.

In his idealism, Izumi tripped over his feet.

Makoto stopped once he noticed the void of Izumi’s pursuit. His eyes flashed and immediately he ran to his aid. “Onii-chan, are you okay?”

Izumi grimaced, watching his skinned knee bleed through his torn pants. Biting the inside of his cheek. Avoiding eye contact with Makoto who was squatted at his side. “O-Of course —” he grunted, before tears fell from his eyes. He cried a little bit, choking back a few sobs. Makoto’s eyes widened, and Izumi could see them watering up.

“Idiot, don’t cry, you didn’t get hurt!” Izumi snapped tearfully, and cringed. “S-Sorry.”

“It hurts to see onii-chan cry, though,” Makoto explained in a small voice, then wiped his own tears away. “Should I get Mom or Hibiyama-san?”

Izumi sobbed once and shook his head no. “Tore my pants. We’re on vacation but he’ll still yell,” he managed between awful choked-up noises.

“Then...” Makoto leaned over to Izumi’s knee — Izumi had propped it up — and Izumi stopped crying for a moment. Makoto’s eyes fluttered shut and his lips pressed against Izumi’s knee. Izumi stared breathlessly, observing Makoto’s peaceful expression. When he came to face him again, he looked embarrassed and his lips were coated in blood. “... Better?” he muttered shyly.

Izumi stopped crying — his knee still stung, but he wasn’t going to tell Makoto that — and nodded a few times in quick succession. Before Makoto could say anything to him, Izumi wrapped his arms around him. “Hey, thank you, Yuu-kun,” he whispered softly, and Makoto gave him a squeeze in reply.

“You have blood on your lips,” Izumi jeered. In response to the observation, Makoto licked his lips. Izumi gagged vainly. “Ew! Wipe it off or something, Yuu-kun!”

—

**Author's Note:**

> im on twitter @shinmetoriii :’^) unfortunately i don’t talk abt izmk all that much but theyre good


End file.
